Music teaching system and method

ABSTRACT

A music teaching system is provided, comprising at least two musical instruments, each instrument having a mechanism for producing a musical note when the means is activated, each such mechanism being marked by a color corresponding to the particular musical note produced by the mechanism; and at least two display vehicles for displaying a combination of the colors. The invention may be accomplished using colored hand bells for the instruments and cards for the display vehicles. A method for playing musical notes is also provided utilizing the teaching system (which may include hand bells and cards) comprising the steps of displaying a first card displaying a combination of colors for a first period of time; playing those colored hand bells corresponding to the combination of colors displayed on the first card during said first period of time; removing the first card from view; displaying a second card for a desired second period of time; playing those hand bells corresponding to the combination of colors displayed on the second card the second period of time; and removing the second card from view.

STATEMENT OF PRIORITY

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/147,907filed on Nov. 3, 1993 which was a continuation of application Ser. No.07/969,557 filed on Oct. 30, 1992, which was a continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 07/750,955 filed on Aug. 28, 1991, both abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to music teaching systems and methodsand, more particularly, to music teaching systems and methods which areused to acquaint young children with music and musical instruments.

2. Prior Art

Many music teaching systems have been devised to acquaint young childrenwith musical endeavors. However, prior art teaching methods concentrateon teaching musical notation rather than initial performance of musicalcompositions. Because of this focus, prior art teaching systems andmethods are somewhat complex for young novices to learn.

Some attempts have been made to use color to aid in teaching music.Colored hand bell sets are currently sold, with each hand bell and itsassociated musical note being marked with a color. Corresponding colorednotes are depicted on a musical staff, shown on a large chart. Theinstructor then points to the colored notes on the staff and thestudents play the bells corresponding to the colored notes. Childrenhave difficulty concentrating on the chart, since multiple notes areshown on the chart, and the musical staff notation can be initiallyconfusing. Other prior art systems also display of entire lines ofmusic, utilizing various means to associate the musical note(s) playedwith the one(s) displayed. While the use of multiple musical instruments(such as hand bells) encourages group participation and interest, theproblems of overall instructor control and elicitation of the properresponse remain.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a music teachingsystem and method which requires no knowledge of music in order toparticipate.

It is another object of this invention to provide a music teachingsystem and method which allows an instructor to control groupparticipation in the playing of a composition for each combination ofmusical notes played.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a music teachingsystem and method which requires a minimum amount of time for thestudent to learn, and which allows the student to immediatelyparticipate in the playing of a musical composition.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a music teachingsystem and method which is low in cost.

It is another object of this invention to provide a music teachingsystem and method which accomplishes various combinations of the aboveobjects.

Accordingly, a music teaching system is provided, comprising at leasttwo musical instruments, each instrument having a mechanism forproducing a musical note when the means is activated, each suchmechanism being marked by a color corresponding to the particularmusical note produced by the mechanism; and at least two displayvehicles for displaying a combination of the colors. The invention maybe accomplished using colored hand bells for the instruments and cardsfor the display vehicles. A method for playing musical notes is alsoprovided utilizing the teaching system (which may include hand bells andcards) comprising the steps of displaying a first card displaying acombination of colors for a first period of time; playing those coloredhand bells corresponding to the combination of colors displayed on thefirst card during said first period of time; removing the first cardfrom view; displaying a second card for a desired second period of time;playing those hand bells corresponding to the combination of colorsdisplayed on the second card the second period of time; and removing thesecond card from view.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention in use.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the front sides of the cards of anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the back sides of the cards of anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the computer system and typical screenof an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1, the music teaching system 1 generally comprises aplurality of musical instruments 2, preferably hand bells 6, which areeach held by a student 15, and a plurality of means 5 for displaying acombination of colors. Of course, a student 15 may hold one hand bell 6in each hand, as shown in FIG. 1. For young students 15, it ispreferable that each student 15 hold only one instrument 2. Otherinstruments 2 may be used. However, for young students 15, hand bells 6have produced excellent results. Each instrument 2 has a means 3 forproducing a musical note when the means 3 is activated. With hand bells6, means 3 and hand bell 6 comprise the same unit. However, for othermusical instruments 2, such as those capable of playing more than onenote, means 3 may comprise a part of the instrument 2, such as a key onan electronic keyboard (not shown). Means 3 is marked with a color 4,corresponding to the musical note played by means 3. In its simplestpreferred form, a display object such as means 5 comprises a card 7(contained in a deck 17 of cards 7) having colors 10 displayed on thefront side 8 thereof corresponding to the colors 4 on means 3.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the organization of a deck 17 of cards 7 issimple. The front side 8 of each card 7 displays a desired combinationof colors 10. For the purpose of this application, the word“combination” is intended to mean “one or more” when referring to acombination of colors or musical notes. Thus, first card 18 instructsthe student 15 holding a red hand bell 19 to play it for as long as card18 is displayed. Second card 20 instructs those students 15 holding red,green, blue and brown hand bells 19, 21, 22, 23 to play them for as longas card 20 is displayed. The number of cards 7 in deck 17 may correspondto a desired number of combinations of musical notes to be played oninstruments 2, such as those combinations of a musical composition.Thus, decks 17 of cards 7 may be provided for several musicalcompositions providing variety for the students 15.

To aid the instructor/facilitator 16, instructions 14 or otheradditional information may be provided on the back side 9 of each card7, as shown in FIG. 3. Card numbers 24 are provided to allow thefacilitator 16 to maintain the proper order of cards 7. Further, otherinformation 25 may be provided, such as musical beat countinginstructions and start and finish instructions, as shown. For thecomposition represented by the deck 17 shown in FIG. 3, instructions 14first card 18 (card number 1) are shown on the back side 9 of last card27 (card number 42). Instructions 14 for last card 27 (card number 42)are shown on the back side 9 of the second to last card 26 (card number41). Thus, facilitator would display first card 18 for two musicalbeats, move the first card to the back of the deck 17, uncovering anddisplaying the second card in the deck 17 for three musical beats (asinstructed on the back side 9 of first card 18).

An alternate embodiment of the invention 1 is shown in FIG. 4. Means 3may be generated by a computer system 11, such as a personal computersystem having a screen 12. Computer system 11 is programmed to produce adesired sequence of images 13 on screen 11 corresponding to a sequenceof combinations of musical notes. Computer system 11 may thus supplantfacilitator 16, if desirable. The image 13 shown in FIG. 4 thuscorresponds to the front side 8 of first card 18.

The method of using the teaching system 1 is simple, and gives thefacilitator 16 control over the teaching/performing situation. A firstmeans 5 (such as first card 18 or a first image 13 on screen 12) isdisplayed for a first period of time (such as two musical beats as shownon the back side 9 of last card 27). During the first period of time,means 3 (such as red hand bell 19) is activated and a musical note(s)corresponding to the color(s) 10 displayed is played by the student 15holding the appropriate colored means 3. First means 5 is then removedfrom view, and the student 15 ceases to play the note. A second means 5is then displayed (such as second card 20) and the process is repeatedfor the colors 10 and associated colors 4 on the appropriate means 3.The process continues until the musical composition is complete. It hasbeen found that beautiful chords and melodies can be produced utilizingthe system 1 by students 15 with no musical background whatsoever, andwithout any reference to music notation. Other embodiments of theinvention will occur to those skilled in the art, and are intended to beincluded within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim:
 1. A method for playing musical notes utilizing a plurality ofhand bells, each said hand bell being marked by an indiciumcorresponding to the particular musical note produced by said hand bell;a plurality of means for displaying only a single combination of saidindicia corresponding to a single musical note or a single musicalchord, said plurality of means for displaying comprising a deckcomprising a plurality of cards, wherein on each said card at least onesaid indicium is displayed and on at least one said card a plurality ofsaid indicia are displayed, and wherein said cards are arranged in adesired order corresponding to a sequence of musical notes or chords,said method comprising the steps of: a. displaying said indicia of afirst said card for a first period of time, while not displaying saidindicia of any other said card during said first period of time; b.playing those said hand bells having indicia corresponding the indiciaof said first card during said first period of time; c. removing saidfirst card from view; d. displaying said indicia of a second said cardfor a desired second period of time; e. playing those said hand bellscorresponding to said combination of said indicia displayed on saidsecond card during said second period of time; and f. removing saidsecond card from view.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said indiciacomprise colors.
 3. A method for playing musical notes utilizing aplurality of hand bells, each said hand bell being marked by an indiciumcorresponding to the particular musical note produced by said hand bell;a means for displaying only a single combination of said indiciacorresponding to a single musical note or a single musical chord, saidmeans for displaying comprising a computer system having a screen; andwherein said computer system is programmed to produce a desired sequenceof said single combinations of said indicia on said screen correspondingto a sequence of said single musical notes or single musical chords,said method comprising the steps of: a. displaying on said screen afirst said single combination of said indicia for a first period oftime, while not displaying any other indicia during said first period oftime; b. playing those said hand bells having indicia corresponding theindicia of said first single combination during said first period oftime; c. ceasing to display said first single combination on saidscreen; d. displaying on said screen a second said single combination ofsaid indicia for a second period of time, while not displaying any otherindicia during said second period of time; e. playing those said handbells having indicia corresponding the indicia of said second singlecombination during said second period of time; and f. ceasing to displaysaid second single combination on said screen.
 4. The method of claim 3,wherein said indicia comprise colors.
 5. A music teaching system,comprising a plurality of hand bells, each said hand bell being markedby an indicium corresponding to the particular musical note produced bysaid hand bell; a plurality of display objects having only a singlecombination of said indicia corresponding to a single musical note or asingle musical chord, wherein on each said display object, at least onesaid indicium is displayed, and on at least one said display object, aplurality of said indicia are displayed, and wherein said displayobject, are arranged in a desired order corresponding to a sequence ofmusical notes or chords.
 6. A music teaching system according to claim5, wherein said indicia comprise colors.
 7. A music teaching systemaccording to claim 5, wherein said display objects comprise cards.
 8. Amusic teaching system according to claim 5, wherein said display objectscomprise a series of images generated by a computer.
 9. A music teachingsystem, comprising: a. a plurality of hand bells, each said hand bellbeing marked by a color corresponding to a particular musical noteproduced by said hand bell; and b. a means for displaying only a singlecombination of said colors corresponding to a single musical note or asingle musical chord, said means for displaying comprising a computersystem having a screen, said screen having at least one said colordisplayed thereon; and wherein said computer system is programmed toproduce a desired sequence of said single combinations of said colors onsaid screen corresponding to a sequence of said single musical notes orsaid single musical chords.